LGBT Rights in Taiwan: What Travellers Should Know Before Going [Part 2]

There are many fascinating places to discover in Taiwan and gay travellers should feel positive about travelling all around. Taiwanese people are among the most accepting and friendly folks around and would never want to make visitors to their country feel unwelcome. Mostly they just don’t care about sexuality.

Of course, as with most places, attitudes are less progressive in more rural areas so travellers who are looking for more of a buzzing scene should head to the bigger cities rather than the countryside.

Taipei, as the capital, naturally has the biggest gay scene with a diverse gaybourhood and the aforementioned Pride. This is where gay travellers who like to be out in the open will feel most at home. Other big cities, namely Taichung and Kaohsiung, might not feel quite as liberal but still have fun LGBT scenes.

Once travellers start heading to other cities, like Tainan, they will find much less on offer in the form of flamboyant gay scenes; but these are still places worth going. No matter where you go in Gay Taiwan, there is no need to worry about your safety!

Refreshing right?

Gay Accommodation In Taiwan

As you’d expect from a hospitable and progressive country, it’s not a struggle to find gay-friendly accommodation in Taiwan. There’s a huge range of hotels and hostels to choose from – whether travellers are looking for international luxury chains where anything goes or sociable hostels where they might find a friend (or more!).

For more specifically gay-popular accommodation, travellers just need to do a bit of research. Usually, the hotels near the gay nightlife in the bigger cities are more likely to be gay ‘hotspots’.

G’s Hotel is the first gay hotel in Taipei offering budget accommodation exclusively for men with a focus on shared bathrooms and getting cozy with other guests. We have to say, however, that we wouldn’t stay for the decor and there are plenty of other fabulous gay-friendly accommodation options in Taiwan.

Activities In Gay Taiwan

Eat! We’re only half-joking. The food in Taiwan is justifiably world-renowned, whether it’s high cuisine or street food at night markets – this can be enjoyed by all visitors, gay and straight alike!

Of course all activities are open to everyone and gay visitors to Taiwan will find plenty to suit any travel tastes. For more gay-specific activities, travellers can take their trip during one of the Pride events in the city to show support for LGBT rights in Taiwan (and have a hell of a good time!).

There’s also the famous Red House area in Taipei where there are multiple gay bars, clubs and cafes – visitors should do their research to figure out which ones they can give a miss! There are chilled drinks, wild raves and fabulous drag nights – not only in Taipei, but also in other cities.

Meeting People in Gay Taiwan

All of the cities have at least one ‘reputable’ gay sauna that travellers can try out to learn more about the gay scene in Taiwan. It’s a pretty foreigner-friendly country so visitors shouldn’t worry about going along, although they should do research first to check which are the best. For travellers looking for something a bit different, cities like Taipei and Taichung also offer some rather sensual options for male massage. Of course, there’s always the ‘old-fashioned’ approach of Grindr!

Things To Think About In LGBT Taiwan

There’s always something exciting about visiting a place that is constantly changing and progressing, and Taiwan definitely fits the bill. The LGBT scene in particular is very exciting and we totally believe in supporting a country that’s so far ahead of its neighbours in terms of gay rights.

Gay travellers should expect to meet tons of new friends, discover some incredible dishes, see some great sights and enjoy some fabulous nights out. Remember that bigger cities will have a more open approach, but otherwise just be safe and enjoy!

Queer In The World is a blog and online resource for gay and lesbian travellers who want to explore the world. We don’t believe ‘being gay’ should define our choice of destination or travel choices – but having gay and gay-friendly hotel stays, nightlife, events, and sightseeing can enhance travel, increase awareness of LGBT issues and help us become a globally connected family. This article is a re-post from the website and the original post is here.

After a long battle, same sex marriage was finally legalised in Taiwan on 17 May 2019, and parliament was asked to pass the change within the following week. In this special issue, Taiwan Insight shares the experiences of those who witnessed this historical moment and looks at some of the driving forces that led to this momentous breakthrough.

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The Taiwan Studies Programme is a research centre based at the University of Nottingham focusing on all aspects of contemporary Taiwan. The Taiwan Studies Programme does not privilege political positions and the views published on Taiwan Insight are those of the author and not the institute.

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Dr Chun-YiLeeTaiwan Studies Programme Director and Taiwan Insight Editor in ChiefTaiwan Studies Programme
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University of NottinghamUniversity ParkNottinghamNG7 2RDChun-yi.Lee@nottingham.ac.uk